Hill School girls’ ice hockey wins first WIHLMA championship

The Hill School girls’ ice hockey team captured its first Women’s Interscholastic Hockey League of the Mid-Atlantic championship on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over Shady Side Academy.

The result reversed the past two WIHLMA title games when Shady Side edged Hill 1-0.

Jessica Ciarrocchi put Hill up 1-0 midway through the first period on an individual breakaway effort. Several scrambles deep in Shady Side territory were matched by a strong defensive scheme and stellar goaltending. Shady Side, out of Pittsburgh, knotted the game up at 1-1 late in the second period on a power play tally.

The third period was hotly-contested with several scrums and penalties with lots of uncertainty on which team would come out on top. With just under four minutes remaining, Sami Shoebottom continued her recent run of offense by burying a puck sitting in the high slot area. Hill responded by keeping possession and pressure the rest of the way to seal their first WIHLMA championship in program history. Goalie Sophie Goldberg held down the fort, making several crucial stops.

The Blues conclude the season 21-9 overall after an 11-0-0 run in WIHLMA play.